Stationary chemical-mixing fire-extinguisher system.



Patented June 18, 1918 J. W. ENRIGHT. STATIONARY CHEMICAL MIXING FIRE EXTINGUISHER SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED JAN.17.19I8.

l 2 H M 5! n ma n to: (/2 Ila/292 912 z WW I-In zoo zww JOHN W. ENRIGI-IT, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

STATIONARY CHEMICAL MIKING FIBE-EXTINGUISHER SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented June 18, 1918.

Application filed Iianuary 17, 1913. Serial No. 212,303.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. Eumorrr,

a citizen of the United States of America, re

sidin at New Orleans, arish of Orleans, and tate of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stationary Chemical- Iii-ting Fire-Extinguisher Systems, of which the following is a specification. 1

This invention relates to improvements in stationary chemical mixing fire extinguisher systems of the pressure controlled type. The principal object of the invention is to provide a system which shall be devoid of moving mechanical parts and hence shall embody no elements which are liable to derangement or to non-operation consequence of corrosion or deposit and which at the same time shall be certain, rapid and reliable in its operation under fire emergency conditions.

With the above objects in view the inventionconsists of certain :teaturesof' structure, combination and relation which will be set forth in detail as the description proceeds. I

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the single figure of a stationary chemical mixing fire extingulsher system of the dry-pipe type in which the features of the invention are incorporated.

The system includes the usual tank 1 which serves as a container for the alkaline solution and is preferably located in the basement or on the lower floor of the building to be protected.

The tank 1 is connected as usual to the riser 2 from which extend the various leaders or laterals 3 provided with sprinkler heads 1 or other distributing valves of approved form. I

According to the .resentj invention the acid for admixture with the solution in the tank 1 is maintained in a receptacle 5 which is located externally of said tank and has an elevation whereby to provide an acid column whose head will be sufficient to insure the operation of'the system under fire emergency conditions. The said acid column is located in a pipe 6 which depends from the base of the receptacle 5 and at' its lower end projects into a closed vessel 7 normally containing a supply of mercury 8 by which the acid in the receptacle 5 and pipe reservoir, the said oft which 18 a sectional diagram 6 is normally trapped. The receptacle 5 is normally closed against atmospheric pressure but is provided at its upper end with a suitable check valve 9 by means of which the formation of a vacuum in the rcceptacle'ii, during the discharge of acid from said receptacle and such as would impede the acid discharge, is prevented.

The connections between the receptacle 5 and the tankl whereby, in the operation of the system, acid may be discharged from said receptacle into said tank, include in addition to the pipe '6 and the vessel '1, above mentioned a horizontal pipe 10 leading from the vessel and provided with a catch basin 11 for trapping any mercury whichmay be carried over with the acid from the vessel 7, an upright acid reservoir 12 with which the pipe 10 communicates and a discharge pipe 13 leading from the lower end of said discharge pipe having interposed therein a mercury seal 14 and a catch basin 15 for trap ing the mercury carried over from the sea 14.

In-order that elastic fluid under pressure may bev passed from the tank 1 to the reserthereby to equalize the pressures acting against the acid in said reservoir during the operation of the system, the said tank is connected with the upper end of said reservoir by a pipe 16. The system may be initially charged with pressure in any suitable manner. Thus the riser 2 is shown as provided with a valved pressure charging pipe 17 which may be connected to a suitable pump or to a carboy of compressed air or gas. Just above the tank 1 the riser 2 is provided with a suitable expansion vessel 18, the purpose of which is to prevent the alkaline solution from being forced in a column through the riser until such time as the acid enters the tank 1.

In charging the system the tank 1 is filled with the alkaline solution and the vessel 7 and seal 14 are filled with mercury after which air or gas is pumped into the system through the charging pipe 17 until the desired pressure, e. g. 20 lbs, has been attained. The air or gas under pressure fills the riser 2 and the laterals 3 and rises through the solution in the tank 1, flowing through the pipe 16, reservoirlQ and pipe 10 to the vessel 7 wherein it acts on the mercury 8 to project a column of mercury upward into the pipe 6 which column will have normal resistance power sufiicient to overcome the head of acid in said pipe. Thereupon the receptacle 5 is filled with acid and sealed againstaccess of air.

When a sprinkler head or" distributing valve is opened the pressure with which the system is charged escapes. The first effect of the reduction of the pressure is the fall of the mercury column in the pipe 6 until ultimately the head of the column of acid will overcome the resisting power of mercury and the acid will flow through the mercury 8, and the vessel 7, having its outlet through the pipe 10 by which it passes to the reservoir 12. The greater part of the acid supply must accumulate in said reservoir'before the resistance of the seal 14 is overcome, upon which the acid will flow through the pipe 13 to the tank 1. The generation of pressure takes place immediately upon the contact of the acid and the solution in the tank 1; and the high pressure thus developed effects the discharge of the liquid contents of the tank '1 through the riser 2, the initial columning of alkaline solution in said riser being prevented by the expansion vessel 18 as above explained.

Having fully described my invention I claim:

' 1. In a stationary chemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a tank for an alkaline solution, a distributing pipe rising therefrom, an elevated acid receptacle located eX-. ternally of the tank, a mercury vessel below said receptacle, a pipe between said receptacle and said vessel, the mercury in the latter columning in said pipe to provide a trap for the acld, an acid reservoir, a pipe between said vessel and said reservoir, a pipe to conduct acid from said reservoir to said tank and having a mercury seal arranged therein and a second pipe extending between said tank and said reservoir to transmit elastic fluid pressure thereto, the

tank and theidistributing-pipe being nor mallymharged with elastic fluid under pres sure 'Whichactsou the mercury in. said ves sel to cause the same to normally function an acid trap. I

2. In a stationary chemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a tank for an alkaline solution, an elevated acid receptacle located externally of the tank, a mercury vessel in terposed in. the outlet'of said receptacle, a distributing pipe leading fromthe tank, the tank and the distributing pipe being normally charged with elastic fluid under pressure, means for transmitting the pressure or extinguisher system, a tank for an alkaline said elastic fluid to the mercury in said vessel,thereby to cause said mercury to normally function as a trap in preventing the dischargeof acid from said receptacle and means for conducting the acid from said vessel to said tank when, owing to a fall of pressure, the mercury ceases to function as a trap.

3. In a stat onary chemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a tank for an alkaline solution, an elevated acid receptacle located externally of the tank, a mercury vessel'interposed in the outlet of said receptacle, a distributing'pipe leading from the tank, the tank and the distributing pipe being normally charged with elastic fluid under pressure, means for transmitting the pressure of said elastic fluid to the mercury in said vessel-, thereby to cause said mercury to normally function as a trap in preventing the discharge of acid from said receptacle and means for conducting the acid from said vessel to said tank when, owing to a fall of pressure, the mercury ceases to function as a trap, said means hicluding an acid reservoir and a mercury seal normally interrupting the communicationof said reservoir and said tank. 7

4; In a stationary chemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a tank for an alkaline solution, an externally located elevated acid receptacle, an, acid reservoir, a mercury trap interposed between said receptacle and said reservoir, a mercury seal interposed between said reservoir and said'tank, a distributing pipe leading from the tank, the distributing pipe and the tank being normally charged with fluid under pressure and a pipe connectin said tank and said reservoir and througi which the normal pressure of fluid is transmitted to the mercury of said trap and the high pressure developed in the operation of the system is transmitted to said reservoir.

5. In a stationary chemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a tank for an alkaline solution, an acid reservoir, a mercury seal normally interposed in the communication of said reservoir and said tank, and means operative under fire emergency conditions for charging said reservoir with acid which ultimately overcomes the mercury of said seal.

6. In a stationarychemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a tank for an alkaline solution, an acid reservoir, a mercury seal normally interposed in the communication of said reservoir and said tank, means operative under fire emergency conditions for charging said reservoir with acid which ul-. timately overcomes the mercury of saidseal, and a pipe for transmitting developed high pressure from said tank to said reservoir.

7. In a stationary chemical mixing fire solution, an acid receptacle, means of communication between said receptacle and the tank, a pipe normally containing fluid, and a mercury trap normally confining the acid in the receptacle, said trap being under the control. of and maintained in operation by extinguisher system, a tank for an alkaline solution, an acid receptacle, means of communication between said acid receptacle and the tank including an acid reservoir and a mercury seal controlling the outlet of said reservoir, a mercury trap. contlolling the outlet of said receptacle and a pipe normally charged with fluid which is utilized to maintain the mercury trap normally ope'rative.

9. In a stationary chemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a tank for an alkaline solution, an acid receptacle, means of communication between said acid receptacle and the tank including an acid reservoir and a n'icrcury seal controlling the outlet of said reservoir, a mercury trap controlling the outlet of said receptacle, a pipe normally charged with fluid which is utilized to maintain the mercury trap normally operative and a pipe for transmitting developed high pressure from said tank to said reservoir.

10. In a stationary chemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a tank for alkaline solution, a normally dry distributing pipe leading therefrom, means operative under fire emergency conditions for mixing acid with the solution in said tank, and an expansion vessel interposed in said distributing p I1. In a stationary chemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a tank for alkaline solution, a distributing pipe leading therefrom, the said tank an distributing pipe being normally charged with elastic fluid 'under pressure, means operative under fire emergency conditions and in consequence of a reduction of the pressure in the distributing pipe for mixing a pressure producing chemical with the solution in said tank, an an expansion vessel for preventin an initial columning of the solution in sai distributing pipe under the pressure normally maintained in said tank.

12. In a stationary chemical mixing fire extinguisher, a tank for alkaline solution, an acid receptacle arranged above said tank, the acid in said receptacle having a avitating flow to said tank, said tank eing normally charged with fluid under pressure, a mercury sea normally confining the acid in said receptacle, and means for transmitting the pressure in said tank to said mercury-seal, thereby to maintain the latter effective.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- WALTER G. Wnore, FREDERICK SCHAEFER. 

